A DORSET society that once welcomed Thomas Hardy as a member has generously donated to the Echo’s Christmas Toy Appeal.

The Society for Dorset Men has kindly given £100 towards the campaign which will help provide toys for underprivileged children in Dorset this Christmas.

Andrew Prowse, vice-chairman of the Society of Dorset Men, said the Echo appeal is a worthy cause and the society has supported the appeal for more than five years.

He added: “The society helps local Dorset charities especially those with links to children and young people.

“The appeal helps to give something back at Christmas time and we wouldn’t like to see any child left without.

“We would encourage others who can afford to donate to support the appeal this year which will help children across Dorset have a happy Christmas.”

Almost £4,000 was raised last year and thousands of new toys were donated to underprivileged children across Dorset to open on Christmas day.

Toys can be donated to appeal bins in shops and businesses across the area.

Businesses can help out by donating £100 to top up the funds raised so even more toys can be purchased. Last year sacks of presents filled the Weymouth office before social workers and carers took them to deliver to underprivileged youngsters.

All the gifts collected will go to children who may have suffered neglect, abuse or be living in refugees with their mothers.

Many are in the care of families who simply cannot afford to buy them something special for Christmas.

* WEYMOUTH fundraising group Ladies Alive will disband in style this Christmas with one last donation to the Echo Toy Appeal.

Volunteers at the dedicated local charity said they are proud to help raise funds for needy local youngsters, but will be disbanding at the end of this year due to a range of wider commitments.

Now in its 14th year, the Toy Appeal hopes to provide more toys to underprivileged children in Dorset than ever before.

Georgina Grayson, of Ladies Alive, said the group will be disbanding but wanted their last donation to be for the Echo Toy Appeal because it was an ‘important and much-needed campaign’.

She said: “Sadly Ladies Alive will be disbanding at the end of this year but we all agreed that our last donation should be to the Echo Toy Appeal.

“We think the appeal is a fantastic and worthy cause that helps to give something back to those less privileged at Christmas time.

“We have supported it since the start so it is only right that we support it up until the end of Ladies Alive.”

*‘MAKING a difference at Christmas’ is the motivation behind one Weymouth family-run business donating to the Toy Appeal for the first time.

South Coast Alarms on Jubilee Close in Weymouth has generously given £100 towards the campaign which will help provide toys for underprivileged children in Dorset this Christmas.

This year marks the first year the business has donated to the Toy Appeal.

Managing director Andy Grant-Jones, said: “South Coast Alarms is a family-run business, having been established for over 25 years.

“We specialise in the installation and maintenance of security and CCTV systems and now have nearly 3,000 security systems installed throughout Dorset.

“Therefore, being a local business, we feel it is important to give something back to our local community especially at Christmas time.

“Christmas is a special time for families and in this difficult economical time we are aware that many families will be financially disadvantaged and may not be able to afford a gift for their children, through no fault of their own.”